CHRISTOVAL — Deacon Martin Mary Hubbs, who more than 10 years ago opted against medical school and for the heremetical life, will be ordained a priest at 11 a.m., Friday, May 25, 2012, at Sacred Heart Cathedral in San Angelo.

    Deacon Hubbs will not be considered a diocesan priest, but will remain in service to the Carmelite community at Mt. Carmel, a hermitage southwest of Christoval, a small town 20 miles south of San Angelo.

   The priestly ordination will be presided over by the Most Rev. Michael D. Pfeifer, Bishop of San Angelo.

   Deacon Martin entered his life as a hermit three days before 9/11 -- September 8, 2001. Deacon Martin says news of the attacks only confirmed the personal decision he made.

   “I thought, if this was what things were coming to, it was better to realize my vocation as quickly as possible so I could start doing what I was supposed to be doing,” he said.

   When he takes his priestly vows Friday, Deacon Martin’s responsibilities as a priest will differ than that of priests who work for a diocese or within a parish.

   “It’s important to realize that at the hermitage, we’re not engaged in the type of pastoral ministry such as at the diocesan level, and so in that sense we don’t do baptisms, funerals, weddings or anointings of the sick. The context of the heremetical priesthood is to serve in the sacramental life.”

   The Diocese of San Angelo has celebrated four diaconal ordinations within the last six weeks. Those seminarians-turned-clergymen are expected to take their priestly vows in about a year.

   The diocese still has two significant celebrations coming up next weekend. Parishioners at St. Stephen’s in Midland will celebrate the 50th priestly anniversary of Msgr. Jim Bridges on Saturday, May 26, with a dinner following a 5 p.m. Mass, and Catholics in the small community of Rowena, southeast of San Angelo, will celebrate 50 years of Msgr. Bernard Gully’s priesthood Sunday, May 27 with a 9:30 a.m. Mass.